AuthorTopic: 50 Movies in 2019 (Read 25108 times)

Am I okay to see Avengers Endgame if the only Marvel movies I have seen post-2012 are Avengers: The One Where Thanos Kills A Bunch of Dudes, and Black Panther (which really isn't part of the story arc).

Or should I wait and watch some of the other ones. And if so, which ones?

I mean, I know who all the characters are from the comics, and I also read The Infinity Gauntlet series when it came out. Granted, that was a long time ago.

But I mean, I'm not going to be lost or anything plot-wise. I just want to know if watching the other movies will make me feel more vested in characters or if there's some subtle shit that has more meaning if I have. If that's the case, maybe I will wait. Even though I can't imagine watching half a dozen Marvel movies.

They make solid references to:Avengers 1Dr. StrangeThe opening scene to Guardians of the Galaxy (so you would only need to watch the first 10-20 minutes) but then there are also references to Starlords/Gamorrah's story arcs, so maybe notCaptain America 1, although I think you wouldn't miss anything by skipping it. It's pretty straightforward.

Smaller references to Captain Marvel, but if you know the comic then you're likely fine.

Then there are a lot of references to where these characters came from and what their interpersonal relationships are, but I guess you'd be fine. It's a pretty daunting task to go through all the backstories.

That's my take, although I'm sure a lot of people would have different takes.

I did cry three times, but I also cheered at least twice (quietly, because no one else was doing that in this viewing) also, it was my second viewing, and I cried more this time than the first go round.

ZK, I'd say you can get by without watching any of the others- you saw Thanos kills a bunch of people, this picks up afterwards.

I recommend Thor: Ragnarok because it's funny, but you don't have to see it.

Am I okay to see Avengers Endgame if the only Marvel movies I have seen post-2012 are Avengers: The One Where Thanos Kills A Bunch of Dudes, and Black Panther (which really isn't part of the story arc).

Or should I wait and watch some of the other ones. And if so, which ones?

I mean, I know who all the characters are from the comics, and I also read The Infinity Gauntlet series when it came out. Granted, that was a long time ago.

But I mean, I'm not going to be lost or anything plot-wise. I just want to know if watching the other movies will make me feel more vested in characters or if there's some subtle shit that has more meaning if I have. If that's the case, maybe I will wait. Even though I can't imagine watching half a dozen Marvel movies.

I would actually say you'd be pretty lost. You'd be watching an action movie with a bunch of people with fairly intricate relationships that you have no idea about. There are also a lot of characters that you would have no idea who they are.

There are some I haven't seen. For example, Robert Redford shows up in this. I'm supposed to know who he is. I don't. He was in at least one of the CAPTAIN AMERICA movies, which I never saw. I also know there is a lot of leftover conflict within the Avengers from CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR that is lost on me. I just know it exists, but don't know why. I watched INFINITY WAR, and there is a whole subplot with this guy and a woman that wears a lot of red. No idea who the fuck they are or what that was about really. I, to this day, don't know their character names. Didn't ruin the movie, but it didn't help.

I looked around, you could watch this, a 23 minute recap that supposedly "catches you up" prior to Endgame.

There are some I haven't seen. For example, Robert Redford shows up in this. I'm supposed to know who he is. I don't. He was in at least one of the CAPTAIN AMERICA movies, which I never saw. I also know there is a lot of leftover conflict within the Avengers from CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR that is lost on me. I just know it exists, but don't know why. I watched INFINITY WAR, and there is a whole subplot with this guy and a woman that wears a lot of red. No idea who the fuck they are or what that was about really. I, to this day, don't know their character names. Didn't ruin the movie, but it didn't help.

Hah - good point. I've seen every movie, and I didn't remember Robert Redford's character either. But it was pretty clear the role he was playing. So maybe you're fine.

Korean film that triples as a love triangle, class commentary, and mystery. I didn't like it as much as some, but it was 2 and a half hours that didn't feel that long. Starring Steven Yeun and two other Korean actors. Well acted and interesting throughout, if not quite great.

34. Starry Eyes - 3

Horror movie about what happens when an actress goes a little too far in pursuit of a role. I think they were going for B-movie here with some of the acting of the "villains", but then we switch to the last 20 minutes and we get some horribly realistic murders that were more cringe inducing than some of the worst body horror movies I've watched. Only a couple of characters escape caricature, not including the protagonist.

I don't know if it was supposed to be "fun" or a cautionary tale or what, but it is just mostly a muddled mess with some of the most bothersome murder scenes I've watched in a while.

High Life is a sci-fi drama from French director Claire Denis (in her first English-spoken movie), starring Juliette Binosch and Robert Pattison, both excellent. This is a "Space Odessey" of a very different kind. Worth seeking out!

Stockholm brings the bank heist and kidnapping that took place in August, 1973 in what later would become known as the "Stockholm Syndrome". It's wild and crazy, I mean you can't make this stuff up. Ethan Hawke and Noomi Rapace both shine. (Rapace, who is Swedish, and playing a Swedish character in a Sweden-set movie, nevertheless speaks English.) I saw Stockholm the very weekend that Avengers: Endgame came out, and the theater complex was completely overrun. But not the screen that showed Stockholm. Talk about counter-programming!

The worst of the bunch is another tie: Peterloo and Us.

Peterloo is the rare misfire from British director Mike Leigh, bringing us how a peaceful demonstration in Manchester 100 years ago, led to the massacre of scores of demonstrators. Sounds intriguing. Alas, utterly patronizing (RICH people: bad, very bad! Every single one of them!!!! POOR people: good, very good, all of them!) and, worse, boooooooooooooring beyond belief. And oh, the film runs 150 min.

Us: the Jordan Peele written-produced-directed film is neither scary nor funny. And if it had a underlying "social" message, it went straight over my head. And the ending is so effin' horribly bad and unexplainable. In short, MILES away from the great Get Out.

Transit is the latest from German director Christian Petzold. He is one of the best directors of this generation, period. Check out his record: The State I'm In, Gespenster, Yella, Barbara, and Phoenix, just to name those. Sheer brilliance. This one is a bit trickier, transposing the 1944 Paris-Marseille WWII novel of the same name to today's France. Also, Nina Hoss, the female lead in most of Petzold's prior movies is noticeably absent. Still worth checking out, though.

Sunset is the second film from Hungarian writer-director Laszlo Nemes, whose debut film, the harrowing and haunting Holocaust drama Son of Saul, promptly won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Movie a few years back. Sunset, a 2 1/2 hr. movie, is even more ambitious, but strangely falls flat on its face, as at no point do I care for the lead character in the least. I cannot recommend this film.

Long Shot is a feel-good rom-com starring Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron (as Secretary of State, and president-wannabe). It's funny, it's raunchy, it's light, it's touching. A nice fantasy (in the same way as, for example, Pretty Woman was) that I enjoyed this from start to finish far more than I had dared to expect.

It was a fun first hour, then an emotionally devastating second. Hard to really blame it all on one guy, as the film tried to do, when she surrounded herself with enablers. A couple of lines stuck with me, after winning her Grammy: "it's so boring without drugs", and then the father and her final manager basically saying it was her choice to stay high and she has to want to rehab. Some people need more than a little push, and they didn't do that. Hopefully it still haunts them, though the father seems like the type of guy who will continue to take credit for things he was not involved in, and blame others for things he could've stopped.

1. John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City Music Hall- needed something light after Infinity War!2. Vice Bale was good, but it was definitely pandering to a specific audience. Also, I thought I'd need heart surgery after all of it! 3. Crazy Rich Asians- needs more Awkwafina.4. if Beale Street Could Talk really incredible, and should have been nominated for best picture.5. Fyre Fraud6. Justice League well, this was not a good movie, and having the stand alones for Wonder Woman and Aquaman come out after this was a bad plan.7. They Shall Not Grow Old- impressive technical feat. Incredible to see and hear these men who have been gone for so long. 8. Paris is Burning A still-relevant documentary of drag balls in New York in the 1980s. 9. To All the Boys I've Loved Before- still sweet10. To All the Boys I've Loved Before- look, it was a rough week. I reserve the right to watch cuteness again and again! 11. The Kissing Booth Oh my lord, this was one of the worst movies I've ever seen, and I totally hate watched it. 12. To All the Boys I've Loved Before- palate cleanser13. Thor: Ragnarock14. Captain America: The Winter Soldier15. Ibiza- Other than Richard Madden's accent, not much reason to watch. I liked it more the first go-round. 16. The Changeover based on Margaret Mahy's book of the same name. It was not as good as the book, of course, but it was nice to see one of my favorite books on the screen.17. Isn't it Romantic Cute, and I loved that the New York apartment was appropriately small. 18. Captain Marvel Needed more Goose! Great soundtrack, but I would have loved to have "Cannonball" on it.19. The Incredibles 2 Netflix, and it kept cutting out, so I couldn't really get into it. 20. Ant Man and the Wasp- I liked it better on repeat viewing, but I am still "meh" on this addition to the MCU21. Nate Bargatze: The Tennessee Kid Stand up from Old Hickory, TN, which is 20 minutes from where I grew up. And my hometown is name-checked in the final bit, and is waaay too dead on, but still funny. 22. Unicorn Store I wanted more Brie Larson and Sam Jackson, but it was a rather harmless movie.23. Avengers: Infinity War- I'm gearing up for the final installment at the end of the month!24. The Breaker Upperers The New Zealand humor appeals to me, and while neither lead is particularly "nice" you are rooting for them to figure it out. 25. Too Funny to Fail: The Life and Death of the Dana Carvey Show I don't even remember the show existing, but it was interesting to see. Carvey is funny. 26. Teen Wolf- It is on Hulu, I wanted to relive junior high!27. Us I was hiding behind my jacket for much of it, and it's a thinker, but in the cold light of day it isn't too bad. 28. Oh Lucy Oh, boy this was not good. I started watching because it had Josh Harnett, and it just took a strange left turn. 29. Iron Man 2- Rewatch, since I didn't remember it.30. The Perfect Date Peter Kavinsky, erm, Noah Centinio is a guy who sets up an app for a Stand In date. This should have been the name of the movie instead of the Perfect Date. It was cute. 31. The Edge of Seventeen You could not pay me to be a teen again. I would have liked it better if both siblings had had the focus, rather than just Nadine. Hallie Steinfeld does a great job, and Woody Harrelson was excellent, too.32. Avengers: End Game well worth the 21 movie build up. The Russo bros stuck the landing! I liked it so much I'm going to see it again on Tuesday with Lando.

33. Avengers: End Game- yeah, Lando got to watch me cry. And cheer34. Long Shot the year of the Rom Com continues! Enjoyed it very much. 35. The Mummy Returns- The addition of the kid didn't really help the movie.

Lots of Seth Rogen being Seth Rogen in this film. If you like him, you'll probably like it. If not, avoid avoid avoid.

38. Clue

C-Fan had never seen this, so we fixed that. She found the multiple endings and their repetitive lines "exhausting". Sure, maybe it doesn't hold up, but 11 year old me saw this about 1000 times on HBO, so I still love it.

C-Fan had never seen this, so we fixed that. She found the multiple endings and their repetitive lines "exhausting". Sure, maybe it doesn't hold up, but 11 year old me saw this about 1000 times on HBO, so I still love it.